Oshkosh Truck Introduces First Side Roll Protection System For Ready Mix Trucks

OSHKOSH, Wis.--Oshkosh Truck Corporation , a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles, today introduced the first Side Roll Protection system for front-discharge concrete mixers on its S-Series™ model mixer. The system is on display at the Oshkosh / McNeilus booth C-6869 at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas.

“The Side Roll Protection System is an important new safety technology for the ready mix industry, and it represents a major commitment as part of our Safety @ 360º initiative. This is a fine example of how we leverage and share technology development between our businesses to help improve the safety and efficiency for all our customers. We first installed Side Roll Protection on a Pierce® fire truck and have now applied that knowledge to benefit ready mix drivers,” said Robert G. Bohn, Oshkosh’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission (NHTSA), 60 percent of truck occupant fatalities involve a rollover. Moreover, in a National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) survey compiled in 2003, 136 rollovers by 42 companies were analyzed. Fifty-two percent of the rollover incidents reported resulted in bodily injury to the driver and two percent resulted in fatalities. In addition, it is estimated that each rollover accident costs a ready mix producer as much as $200,000 in direct and indirect costs.

The Side Roll Protection System uses a roll sensor to detect a rollover by monitoring the vehicle’s roll angle and rate, and then triggers safety devices in a pre-programmed sequence. In the event of a vehicle side-roll, the Side Roll Protection System automatically initiates the following actions:

1. Tightens the seat belt to reduce driver motion

2. Lowers the seat to its lowest position to increase survivable space

3. Locks the seat down to eliminate movement

4. Pre-tensions the seat belt to position the driver for contact with the side airbag, and

5. Deploys an inflatable tubular side-curtain airbag that protects and cushions the head and neck and prevents excessive head motion.

The side-curtain airbag activates in a fraction of a second and remains inflated for several seconds – enough time to protect the driver for the duration of the accident. The system was jointly developed by Oshkosh Truck and Lifeguard Technologies, a world leader in commercial truck occupant protection.

The Side Roll Protection System also records crash data before and after a roll event. This helps ready mix producers better understand and address the reasons for a particular accident event.

About Oshkosh Truck Corporation

Oshkosh Truck Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire and emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh's products are valued worldwide by rental companies, fire and emergency units, defense forces, municipal and airport support services, and concrete placement and refuse businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount.

For more information about Oshkosh Truck Corporation, log onto the company web site at www.oshkoshtruckcorporation.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

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